Caster.



B. H. NOELTING.

(EASTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1912.

I I s I Patented Sept. 22, 191%.

with tubular legs.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERNHARD I-I. NOEIiTING, 01E NEBRASKA CITY, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR T0FAULTLESS CASTER CQMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEBRASKA.

GASTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 22, 1914..

Application filed June 24, 1912. Serial No 705,427.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARD H. NOEL- TING, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of the city of Nebraska City, in the county ofOtoe and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Casters; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the numbers of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in casters, and more particularlyto improvements in casters designed for use in connec-.

tion with furniture or the like, provided Casters as heretofore devisedfor this purpose, have frequently been unnecessarily complicated, and,in some instances, have been so constructed as to permit the jamming ofthe caster in the tubular leg or socket member therefor, therebyactingto prevent the caster swiveling when in operation, and, as aresult, injuring, if not destroying the caster. Sometimes this isoccasioned because of the large frictional bearing face on the saddle ortrack plate of the saddle, and upon which the load is supported, andbeneath which the saddle should swivel or turn. In other constructions,the means for engaging the pintle of the caster in the tubular leg haveproven inefiicient, so that with a short period of use, the caster mayfall out, if the leg to which the caster is secured, be slightly raised.

It is the object of this invention to afford a construction adapted tovery positively engage the pintle of the caster from lateral movement inthe mount therefor within the leg, but permitting the utmost freedom ofrotation for the pintle within the mount.

It is also an object of the invention to afford a construction whereinthe frictional bearing or contact faces of the track plate on the saddleand the corresponding portion of the mount, are so arranged and relatedas to reduce the friction occasioned by the turning of the saddle and.pintle relatively to the leg, to a minimum.

It is an object of the invention also to afford an improved bottom mountfor metal beds and the like, in connection with impfi'orl ed means forsecuring the pintle within t e eg.

The invention embraces many novel fea- 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view online H of Fig. 2.

As shown in the drawings: 1, indicates the tubular leg of an article offurniture, for example, a metal bed.

2, indicates the bracket arms integral with the saddle 8, of the caster.Rotatably secured upon a pin 4:, extending through the outer ends of thearms or brackets 2, of the saddle, is the caster wheel 5. Extendingupwardly through, and soured at the middle of the saddle, is a pintle 6,shown as cylindric, and which is rigidly. secured to the saddle byriveting or otherwise. Concentric with the pintle, and, if desired,integral therewitl1,is a raised bead orrim 7, which flanges over thesaddle concentric with the pintle, and at theupper side of the saddle,which is engaged in the groove 7 affords what may be termed a trackplate which is of relatively small diameter. The caster wheel is offsetfrom the pintle 6, as is usual in such constructions.

Mounted upon the pintle or standard 6, 15 a bottom mount 8, comprising awasher of pressed steel or other suitable materia, concave on its underside and convex on its upper end, as shown, pressed up concentric withthe pintle to afford a raised, peripheral, outwardly facing shoulder 9,adapted to fit within the lower open end of the leg of the furniture,and integral with a downwardly and convexly curving lip 10, whichprojects well beyond the tubular leg 1, and affords an ornamental finishas well as a support for the leg which rests directly thereon. At itscenter, said bottom mount is, of course, apertured to receive the pintleor standard 6, therethrough, and is struck downwardly to aflordaperipheral downwardly extending flange 11, which bears upon the bead 7,closely adjacent to, and around the pintle, thus serving as a bottomguide for the pintle 6, and serving as well to deliver the superposedweight to the track plate and ing device, comprising a strap ofresilient metal such as steel, stamped and shaped to a afford a U shapedbody or yoke, having a central aperture therethrough to receive theupper end of the pintle and affording downwardly directed spring arms 12and 13, which are of a length to extend to near the bottom mount, and attheir lower ends are slightly inturned toward, but not to the pintle.Integral tongues 14: and 15, respectively', are struck inwardly fromsaid arms 12 and 13, respectively, and overlap, as shown in Figs. 2and4, and are provided with slotted apertures therethrough through whichthe pintle 6, extends.

hen the caster, bottom mount and pintle mount are assembled together,the parts are maintained in assembled relation by deforming the upperend of the pintle sufficiently to prevent the withdrawal of the pintlethrough the apertures therefor in the pintle mount. The edges of theyoke arms 12 and 13, are left relatively sharp, so that, when the pintlewith said pintle mount is pressed into the tubular leg of the article offurniture with which the same'is to be used, said edges bite into themetal forming said leg, thereby serving to hofid the same fromwithdrawal, and this engagement is made the more positive because of theresiliency of the pintle mount, which (and owing to the slottedapertures in said tongues) permits a considerable degree of expansion ofthe pintle mount when released from the leg.

It is not important whether or not the pintle mount engages upon thebottom mount when the caster is in operation, inasmuch as the raisedportion afforded in said bottom mount, fits "within the end erthetubular leg, and acts in conjunction with the pintle mount to center thecaster pintle therein. It is to be understood that one or more of saidapertured tongues may be employed, as the occasion may require, saidtongues serving only to assist in holding said pintle in a centralizedposition within theleg, and

allel integral arms, said strap having a pintle aperture through themiddle thereof to receive the upper end of the pintle'there through, andinwardly struck, longitudi- I nally slotted tongues integral with saidarms at points above the lower ends thereof, and arranged in overlappingrelation, and through which said pintlealso passes.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses. r j

BERNI-IARD H. NOELTING. Witnesses. I

H. D. WILSON, GEO. W. SLACK.

Cuties of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

